Bless Her Heart

I like Mississippi. 

In fact, I like Mississippi a whole lot.

But of all the places in the world that you could choose for your next vacation destination, why in the heck would you choose Mississippi?!

Does the fact that I personally like Mississippi automatically mean that you should rank Mississippi as one of the top ten places to visit this year? 

Probably not.

After all, how many of us still make our bed every single morning, even though Admiral McRaven told us to. 

You’d probably be missing out on some of the main reasons that I like Mississippi.

My momma ‘n them (could somebody please tell me how to write that phrase correctly, or if there even is a correct way to write that phrase correctly),…

Anyway, my momma ‘n them really know how to cook.

If you happen to stumble upon a a church or community cookbook while you’re gallivanting about our great state, be sure to pick one up. Rest assured that every single recipe in there is tried and true…

You probably won’t experience the same thrill (or sense of shame) when you cross the city limits…or even the country borders…or even the state lines….because you won’t suddenly be bombarded with all the memories of having grown up in a teeny-tiny town found in this neck of the woods.

But you may be surprised. 

Try it. Try it. You may like it. Just like me. 

After all, there is plenty to like about Mississippi. 

But what IS there to like about Mississippi.

Why would I even dare to mention that you might really wanna consider Mississippi as a potential travel destination.

After all, Mississippi often gets ranked near the bottom of every poll that a state in the United States could hope to score good on…such as annual earnings per capita and number of people having at least a bachelor’s degree. 

And Mississippi often gets ranked near the top of every poll that a state in the United States could hope to score low on…such as the number of obese people within the state and the number of crimes per capita. 

Yet I still like Mississippi. 

Let me tell you why. 

I like the art of Mississippi. 

Mississippians excel not only in the music world…(more on this later)…but also in the art and literature worlds. As we’ll see soon, visual art forms that Mississippians excel in include pottery and street art.

The state also recognizes the value of dance – particularly ballet – as an art form..

Jackson, the state capital, welcomes competitors every four years to compete in the International Ballet Competition (IBC) – one of the premiere international dance competitions held anywhere. 

Mississippi is the birthplace, or home, to several popular authors including John Grisham and William Faulkner…(more on this soon)…

I like the food of Mississippi…(probably a little too much)…

In fact, just mention that you’re from Mississippi, and almost everyone assumes that you’re a great cook…even if you secretly know that you cannot even scramble an egg or make cheese toast. 

I love the “Southern cuisine” that everyone thinks is so special.  

Peas, butterbeans, cornbread…not to mention cakes and pies. 

If you grew up in Mississippi, though, you probably got sick and tired of having to  shell butterbeans and peas every summer.  

I promised myself that I would never eat peas and butterbeans when I grew up. 

Yeah, right… 

Mississippi is also a great place to get farm-fresh produce, fresh gulf seafood and barbecue…(recipes coming soon)… 

I like the history of Mississippi. 

The historical landmarks of Mississippi can stir up emotions and perhaps even controversy. 

The story of Mississippi is a story of people throughout various times in history – the thousands of unknown federal and Confederate soldiers, the men and women associated with the civil rights movement, wealthy plantation owners and their families, Paleo-Indians living in the state as far back as 7,000 B.C. 

Many museums throughout the state showcase Mississippi’s artistic, historical and scientific achievements. These include the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History…(more on this later, promise)… 

One of the most popular historic sites in the state is Vicksburg National Military Park. Over 500,000 people visit this park each year. 

This is the site where the battle of Vicksburg took place during the American Civil War. 

This 47-day battle ended when the Confederates surrendered the city to Union troops, giving the Union complete control of the Mississippi River. 

I like exploring the great outdoors in Mississippi. 

I always say that Mississippi basically consists of three sections. 

If you look at a map of Mississippi, you will find that I-20 cuts horizontally through the state and that I-55 cuts vertically through the state. 

The section north of I-20 but west of I-55 is basically known as the Delta. It’s  
“over yonder.”  

Anywhere below I-20 is “down yonder.” 

Here you will find “cities” like Biloxi and Ocean Springs and several smaller towns along the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. These sandy shores are great for a quiet getaway…much quieter than the crowded beaches found in our neighboring states, especially during spring break. 

The section north of I-20 but east of I-55 is my old tromping grounds. 

If I were in Mississippi right now, then this section would be “right here.” 

Here you can find several of the 25 state parks located throughout the state. 

Mississippi State Parks offer excellent camping, canoeing, fishing and hiking opportunities. 

You also can’t know anything much about Mississippi if you’ve never heard of the Natchez Trace. Cyclists seem to love this stretch of road. 

I like the music of Mississippi. 

Mississippi is “The Birthplace of American Music,” a title given to the state because of its connection to blues music. 

Today this love of music in Mississippi spans all sorts of genres including not only blues…but also bluegrass, country, folk music, hip-hop and indie rock…(more on this later also)… 

Perhaps the most famous of these musicians is Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock n’ Roll.” 

You can see the humble abode where he was brought up at Elvis Presley Birthplace Park in Tupelo. It’s a bit different than Graceland in Memphis…much, much smaller…go figure… 

(I do wonder how many school field trips have been made to ever since I went with my elementary school class way back in 1976.) 

Mississippi is not only “The Birthplace of American Music,” but also the birthplace of many famous American musicians . 

Keep an eye out for music festivals like Jackson Indie Music Week or the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival.  

I like the people of Mississippi. 

Mississippi is not known as “The Hospitality State” for no reason. 

Mississippians have a deep sense of community. 

We welcome newcomers and visitors with a true warmth that cannot be found nearly anywhere else.  

If we ask how y’all are, then I am not just trying to be nice. 

We really want to know how y’all are…and not because we’re being nosy.  

Don’t be surprised if a native Mississippian invites a perfect stranger to share as much about their lives back home as possible.  

We really are interested. 

It’s because we really do care about all of y’all. 

Why do you think that we’re constantly saying…